Rusty Egan emerged from the London punk scene as the drummer of the short-lived band Rich Kids. In 1979, along with Steve Strange, he set up a weekly club night at a bar called the Blitz. It soon became known as the epicentre of the new romantic movement.

“The start of my DJ career was at the end of punk.”

In an interview with The Independent, Strange spoke about setting up the Blitz nights with Egan. “Rusty and I shared the same vision of who came in, how they should look and the music selection. I went on the door and became known as the biggest bastard in clubland; and Rusty was, and still is, the best 1980s DJ."

“A lot of people thought we were lovers, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth; it was an intimate, brotherly love, and when we shared a flat I saw a much more caring side to Rusty.”

Although the Blitz days were short-lived, they came to be some of the defining ones of 1980s club culture. As well as DJing electronic music and synth-pop, Egan performed with Strange in the band Visage. The night’s popularity cemented Egan’s recognition as a key figure in London’s club scene.

In 1982, Egan and Strange opened the Camden Palace – now known as KOKO – where they continued to promote new electronic music. Early performers included the Eurythmics, Wham, and Madonna, who made her British debut at the venue.

Egan moved away from DJing in the following decade. He worked as a producer for groups such as Spear of Destiny, Shock and the Senate. A series of disagreements gradually led him to become distanced from Strange.

It wasn’t until the 2000s that Egan returned to the decks, with international dates and festival appearances.

In 2011, Egan reunited with Strange and reopened the Blitz for one night only, with performances from the band Paradise Point and electro punk artist Quilla Constance, and a DJ set from Egan himself.